Ground anchor upsetting and retrieving device



Dec. 15, 1964' c. D. O'.LEARY GROUND ANCHOR UPSETTING AND RETRIEVINGDEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1961 INVENT OR United States Patent 3,161,432GROUND ANCHQR UPSETTING AND RETRIEVING DEVICE Charles D. OLeary, 103Churchill Road, McLean, Va- Filed Aug. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 130,199 1Claim. (Cl. 294-106) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266)The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a ground anchor setting and retrieving device.

It is an object of my invention to provide a ground anchor setting andretrieving device which can be easily and efiectively operated by oneman to set and/ or retrieve an embedded ground anchor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ground anchor setting andretrieving device having a clamp which will hold the setting orretrieving line during all phases of the setting and retrievingoperations and which will grip the setting or retrieving line during theactual anchor lifting operations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a knock down groundanchor setting and retrieving device which can be rapidly assembled ordisassembled on the scene of the operation without the use of any tools.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the clamp inoperation;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the clamp;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; andFIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the knock-down base shown partlyin section to clearly illustrate its construction.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 11) indicates theknock-down jack assembly generally which comprises a ring shaped base 11having an open end, two pairs of legs 12 and 12', and an operatinghandle 13. L-shaped plates 14 and 14' are secured to and connect theupper ends of each pair of legs 12 and 12. The plates 14, 14' havehorizontal openings 15, 15. Two pairs of dowel bars 16, 16 extendinwardly at oblique angles on opposite sides of the base 11. As seen inFIGURE 5, the legs 12, 12' are provided with sockets 17, 17' at theirlower ends which receive the base carried dowel bars 16, 16'.

A series of openings 18 in the handle 13 permit the handle to beselectively positioned between the plates 14, 14-. A fastening pin 19 isinserted through the opening 15, 15 in the plates 14, 14' and one of theopenings 18 to hold the assembly together.

Turning now to the ground anchor 20, a setting line 21 is securedadjacent its lower portion by any suitable means such as throughopenings 22 as seen in FIGURE 1, while a retrieving line 23 is securedin a like manner to an upper corner of the anchor 20. The retrievingline 23 can be distinguished from the setting line 21 by marking theupper end as at 24 or providing a line of a different color.

The C-shaped clamp 25 is provided with an elongated slot 26 in its upperleg portion having a rivet 27 or the like extending therethrough. Thelower leg of the clamp 25 is bifurcated as at 28 to provide laterallyextending furcations, 29, 29'. A pair of opposed line engaging jaws3,161,432 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3t), 31 providing serrations 32 arepivotally secured between the furcations 29, 29 by any suitable meanssuch as rivets 33 and are spaced so as to provide an opening 29a toreceive and hold the setting line 21 or the retaining line 23. The jaw31 terminates in an upwardly projecting arm portion 34. A lever 35extends through the slot 26 and terminates at its lower end in a yoke 36which receives the upper portion of the arm 34. Any suitable means, suchas the rivet 37 serves as a pivotal connection for the arm 34 and lever35. The upper end of the lever 35 projects above the slot 26 and has anelongated hole 38 extending therethrough. A U-shaped bar 39 is securedto the handle 13 by a bolt 40 which extends through the ears 41 of thebar 39. One of the ears 41 has an opening 42 to enable the clamp 25 tobe assembled on the bar 39 prior to bolting same on the handle 13.

In operation, the ground anchor setting and retrieving device isassembled at the site of the embedded ground anchor by placing the base11 so that the clamp 25 will be above the setting cable 21 andretrieving cable 23 in the manner suggested in FIGURE 1. The sockets 17and 17' of the pair of legs 12 and 12 are fitted over the dowel bars 16,16'. The connecting pin 19 is then inserted through the openings 15, 15'in the plates 14, 14' and through one of the openings 18 in the handle13. The clamp 25 is then placed on the U-shaped bar 39 by means of thehole 38 in the clamp and the opening 42 in the ear 41 of the bar 39. Thedevice is now assembled and is ready for use.

In the anchor setting operation, the free end of the setting line 21 ofthe embedded ground anchor 20 is inserted in the clamp 25 through theopening 2% between the jaws 30, 31 and through the slot 26 on the nearside of the rivet 27. The line 21 is pulled taut and then the handle 13is depressed. The handle 13 is released and the line 21 is again pulledtaut and the handle 13 is again depressed. In this manner the line 21which is fastened to the ground anchor 20 adjacent its lower portion(see FIG. 1) pulls the anchor to substantially a horizontal position toprovide maximum holding power.

The procedure is the same in the retrieving operation when theretrieving line 23 is utilized. By attaching the line 23 at an uppercorner of the anchor 21), the anchor is easily brought to the surface inthe manner heretofore described.

In the retrieving operation, a clod of earth is extracted with theanchor 2%. Due to the shape of the base 11 this extraction of earth andanchor can take place even though the device is stationed over theembedded anchor and the anchor is retrieved in a vertical plane inrelation to the ground.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

A clamp for holding a flexible line comprising a G- shaped body memberhaving upper and lower legs and a bight portion, an elongated slotextending transversely through the length of said upper leg, abifurcated portion provided by said lower leg having spaced furcations,a

pair of opposed line engaging jaws positioned between 3 4 clampoperating means engaging the lever adjacent its 2,360,602 10/44 Waldrup294104 other end. 2,511,657 6/50 Welch 254-432 References Cited by theExaminer 2573064 10/51 Robson 294-106 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGNPATENTS 200 792 2 7 Hill 254 121 118,106 11/19 Gl'fiflt Britain. 702,3346/02 Schulte 294 104 446,083 1/48 Canada- 1 2388;? 131; 248 165 XWILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 2,280,192 4/42 Hubbard 24134 10HARRISON R. BIOSELEY, Examiner. 2,360,601 10/44 Waldrup 294104

